What's cooking: At least 10 family members — if not 15 or 20 — gather about once a week for dinner at the Gorhams' house. Cajun dishes are frequently on the menu, and so are other ethnic foods.

In this kitchen: The Gorhams went from demolition to Easter dinner in six weeks when they remodeled their Oakwell Farms kitchen in 2010. They have lived in the house since 1985. “When we first moved into the house, we weren't very sophisticated cooks,” Ceal says. “Over the past 10 years, cooking has become very important to us.”

The space: About 14 by 24 feet.

On the surfaces: Original pecan cabinets and tile floors were keepers, so those predicated the counter choice. Interior designer Robin Black helped with selections, which included brown-toned Silestone counters.

Glass tiles on the backsplash posed a challenge, showing their fragile nature when the tile setter attempted to cut holes for electrical outlets.

Why it works: A six-burner gas cooktop replaced the electric cooktop. They lucked out in being able to use the pipe from the former down-draft vent to run the gas line, and contractor Rick Carlo finessed the range hood to center it over the island and make it fit between trusses.

Ceal met her goals of doing away with a clutter-catching desk and preserving the original cabinets. They kept two-thirds of the cabinets, including a baking pantry, and replaced glides on the pullouts that must have been ahead of their time when the spec home was built.

A longer, wider island gives both cooks space to work and provides a place to serve large groups.

Thinking big: The Gorhams make gumbo outside in 18-, 32- and 40-quart pots, stirring it with a paddle. The rich stew starts with oven-made roux that, Charles says, should be the color of old brown shoes. One friend said it reminded him of roofing tar, and that name stuck on their recipe.

Though they've cooked for as many as 150 people, the first large gathering became a necessity when the Gorhams received andouille sausage Charles ordered for gumbo he was preparing for a political fundraiser. Not realizing each link weighed a pound, he asked for 100 links.

Building on their knowledge: In addition to taking cooking classes at Central Market, the Gorhams have a cookbook collection that spans the world. They especially like volumes that combine recipes and culture, such as Raghavan Iyer's “Tumeric Trail” and Huntley Dent's “Feast of Santa Fe.”